Augst said possessing the reptiles is not against the law, but the manner in which they are housed and kept is regulated.

“It is our belief that they are not being kept in compliance with the statute,” Augst said. “We're removing the reptiles from the home.”

John Adam Kamm, 31, is charged with maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, felony possession of marijuana and manufacturing drugs. Kamm and Laura Luke, 44, were also charged with numerous counts of mishandling reptiles, but deputies were still trying to figure out how many were in the house as of Friday night, which would dictate the number of charges.

Per Article 55 of the N.C. General Statutes, venomous reptiles, constricting snakes and crocodilians must be kept in escape-proof, sturdy enclosures with an operable lock. For venomous reptiles and constricting snakes, the enclosure must be labeled with the scientific name, common name, number of specimens and the owner's identifying information.

The snakes were kept in plastic containers; a roomful of mice and rats was being used to feed them.

Employees from the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher were deputized by the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and N.C. Zoological Society to handle the reptiles. The venomous snakes will be sent to the Museum of Natural Sciences, and the constrictors and caimans will go to the Zoological Society.

Some of the snakes were kept in the containers where they lived for transport because they were too dangerous for wildlife employees to handle.

Kamm is being held on a $100,000 unsecured bond, and Luke is being held on a $50,000 unsecured bond.

The New Hanover County District Attorney's Office and N.C. Wildlife were also involved in the seizure.

<p><i>Editor's Note: This story originally contained an incorrect address.</i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9932"><b>New Hanover County Sheriff</b></a>'s deputies started out looking for marijuana plants Thursday night and ended up finding about 80 snakes, a tortoise and a caiman, a crocodile-like creature.</p><p>Investigators encountered the reptiles at 4805 Milford Road in the Kings Grant neighborhood, said Cpl. J.L. Augst, a sheriff's office spokesman.</p><p>Augst said possessing the reptiles is not against the law, but the manner in which they are housed and kept is regulated.</p><p>“It is our belief that they are not being kept in compliance with the statute,” Augst said. “We're removing the reptiles from the home.”</p><p>John Adam Kamm, 31, is charged with maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, felony possession of marijuana and manufacturing drugs. Kamm and Laura Luke, 44, were also charged with numerous counts of mishandling reptiles, but deputies were still trying to figure out how many were in the house as of Friday night, which would dictate the number of charges. </p><p>Per Article 55 of the N.C. General Statutes, venomous reptiles, constricting snakes and crocodilians must be kept in escape-proof, sturdy enclosures with an operable lock. For venomous reptiles and constricting snakes, the enclosure must be labeled with the scientific name, common name, number of specimens and the owner's identifying information.</p><p>The snakes were kept in plastic containers; a roomful of mice and rats was being used to feed them. </p><p>Employees from the <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic13"><b>N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher</b></a> were deputized by the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and N.C. Zoological Society to handle the reptiles. The venomous snakes will be sent to the Museum of Natural Sciences, and the constrictors and caimans will go to the Zoological Society.</p><p>Some of the snakes were kept in the containers where they lived for transport because they were too dangerous for wildlife employees to handle.</p><p>Kamm is being held on a $100,000 unsecured bond, and Luke is being held on a $50,000 unsecured bond.</p><p>The New Hanover County District Attorney's Office and N.C. Wildlife were also involved in the seizure.</p><p>Julian March: 343-2099</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @julian_march</p>